I don't have much to say about this list, but I do want to note the presence of Ralph Fiennes in the supporting actor category. Fiennes gave a truly charismatic, hilarious and maddening performance -- one that so dominates A Bigger Splash that only his absence from the final reel makes the supporting placement plausible. Between this film and Grand Budapest Hotel, I think he's showing himself to be a far greater character actor than the past 20 years of movie stardom had suggested.

My question: is it possible the critics bring him into the race this year? Though the lead and supporting actress fields are quite full, and best actor at least has Affleck and (likely) Denzel heading it, supporting actor seems virtually empty. So much so that the kids at Awards Watch have Liam Neeson/Silence as their front-runner -- always dangerous to have something unseen-by-Thanksgiving in that slot (Viva Unbroken!). But even more skeptical sorts would have to note that Mahershala Ali is a sure contender, despite the brevity of his role, simply because, who else? And Jeff Bridges might well make it, but he's hardly on par, in certainty terms, with 3 or 4 of the actress hopefuls. So might critics' groups bring Fiennes -- or Tracy Letts in Indignation -- to the forefront in time to make a nomination possible, despite their films' relative obscurity?

For those who do not have easy access to theatres showing some of this year's more obscure nominees, The Witch has been out on Blu-ray and DVD since last May; Other People releases on DVD only on 12/6, Little Men on DVD only on 12/13 and American Honey on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/27.

Among the more high profile films, Hell or High Water was released on Blu-ray and DVD yesterday.

Moonlight and American Honey, being the only two films nominated for both Best Picture and Director probably have a leg up in both categories.

Most surprising to me were the omissions of Moonlight in Supporting Male and Supporting Female; Loving in Best Feature and Male Lead and Manchester by the Sea in Supporting Female and Director. I also found surprising the nomination of Ben Foster instead of Jeff Bridges in Supporting Male for Hell of High Water.

“‎Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” - Voltaire